A Sexy Gamble
by Elysium and Lonely Soul
Summary: AU-Ranma has to find a wife before his 23rd birthday or his family will lose their company. However, his parents leave that small detail out after blackmailing him into blind dates.


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Disclaimer: We do not own Ranma ½! XP

A/N: AU time so expect OOC! Ranma comes from a wealthy family, and his parents think it's time he got married and started a family. Ranma tells them he doesn't have time for that, but they blackmail him into dates.

A Sexy Gamble

by Lonely Soul & Elysium

Chapter 1: Blind Plan

"I won't do it."

"Please, dear!!!"

"Nope."

Nodoka rose from the living room couch and quickly grasped her retreating son's arm. "Ranma, dear! It's just one date! You're overreacting!"

Ranma stopped in his tracks, causing his mother to accidentally bump into him. Before he started to leave the room, his mother had told him, practically begging, that she wanted him to go on a date with the psycho daughter of a crazy family he knew all too well, and he definitely didn't want any part of it.

"Remember what happened the last time we saw her and her insane family at the company's party? She paralyzed me and brainwashed everyone into thinking that we were married! Then, she started fighting with her demented brother, who does nothing but challenge me to a duel every time we meet, and almost killed off half the people there! And, their father goes around putting small explosives in people's drinks just for the fun of it! Now, tell me, what makes you think I'll want to date some rabid chick like that?"

Nodoka placed her index finger on her chin, desperately thinking of an excuse that would convince her son. "Well... yes, but... Kuno Kodachi can be a sweet, polite young lady when she wants to be... and she only did that because I think she truly loves you, Ranma."

"_When she wants to be!?_ She doesn't even know me! How can she love someone she doesn't even know?! I'm tellin' ya; she's a crazed psychopath who needs help like the rest of her family!" he yelled in protest. Ranma watched the emotions play on his mother's face. What was going on? He knew his mom didn't like Kodachi or her family that much and she most absolutely knew he despised that girl with a passion, so why the heck was she trying to get him to go out on a date with her? She had to be up to something big to go through lengths such as that.

Ranma folded his arms across his chest and glared down at his mother. "All right, what is it that you really want, Mom?"

His mother blinked, and then covered her eyes with her hands as glistening tears started to fall down her cheeks. "Ranma, I... I just want you to settle down and have a family... And I... want you to be happy and have someone there to be by your side... I also want grandchildren..." She looked up, tears streaming down her face, and stared deep into Ranma's blue eyes. He had always been weak when it came to crying women, and she knew her tears where all she needed to lure him into her trap. "Is that so much to ask?"

The twenty-two year old took one glance at his mother's tear-stained face and all his defensives fell completely. Dang, she had him. He hated the site of his mother or any other woman for that matter crying over him. It made him feel nervous, and he didn't know how to handle the situation.

"Man..." Ranma sighed deeply, running his fingers through his black hair. "Mom, I'm sorry, don't cry. Look, I know you want me to have a family, but stuff like that takes time. I'm too busy with the company, all the work I have to put up with, and training my martial arts skills to have a descent relationship," he said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Besides, most of the girls who are after me are either too old, gold diggers, or crazy fan girls. I just can't deal with people like that."

Nodoka pushed a lock of red hair behind her ear and wiped a tear from her face. "But you are a very handsome, young man with a lot going for you. I know that throughout your whole life you have been lonely because your father and I usually left on unexpected business trips, so we never had time to spend any quality time with you. And well... Since _you are_ the next heir of the family business, the Saotome Corporation, and your twenty-third birthday is coming up in a few months, I don't want you to be miserable for the rest of your life just because you didn't take the time to get a girlfriend."

Nodoka took a quick glimpse at her son. "You haven't been in a relationship in over five years, and we're worried about you. We were wondering if you were..."

Ranma narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Wondering if what?" he asked, interrupting his mother's speech.

His redheaded mother nervously fidgeted her fingers together. "Uh.. um.. The real reason I wanted to talk to you today was because your father and I had a small chat with each other the other day, and we were concern about your lack of relationships with women. We were wondering if you were... You know..." Nodoka paused briefly before finishing her sentence, and then she whispered so softly that only Ranma could hear her words.

"Are you..._gay?_" she asked with dread written all over face, almost as if it were too painful to say.

Ranma's eyes slowly grew more and more narrow and his eyebrows twitched as a few large veins bulged out from his forehead. Did he just hear his mother correctly? _GAY_?! What the hell?! He expected that kind of thing from his Pops, but to hear his own mother ask him something liked that shattered him into a million pieces. Ranma had a feeling that it was all his Pop's doing. His anger started to rise at the thought of his father. It had to be! Because his mom knew he wasn't gay, didn't she? _C'mon, women always knew about stuff like that, so they can tell if a guy was gay or not, right? Unless she really thinks I am..._ Ranma stopped in thought, cringing. He couldn't believe this! His own mother thought he was gay just because he didn't have a woman in his life.

Nodoka slowly backed away from her son. He hadn't said one word to her, but she saw his expressions go from pale to pissed off in an instance. His aura was flaming widely around him, and he didn't even look at her in the eye. What was he thinking? She seriously didn't think he would be that mad with her for asking such a simple question. "Now.. Ranma, dear, we were only wondering... But if you really are gay, then we still love you, but you will have to commit seppuku for being so unmanly, okay?" she said with a fake smile.

Ranma's head snapped up at the word _seppuku_. He was forcing himself to cool down and not seem mad because he didn't want his mother to notice how hurt his pride was, so as calmly as he could he firmly stated, "I am not gay, mother."

Nodoka took a step closer to her pig-tailed son and gasped softly with her hand on her mouth. "What did you say? You're gay?" she asked as her eyes widen in shock and confusion.

Ranma frowned at his mother and repeated himself more loudly. "I said I'm _not_ gay!"

She laughed at Ranma's irritated expression, holding one hand to her stomach while the other landed on her son's shoulder. "Haha! I know! I heard you the first time! I just wanted you to say it again! Hahaha!"

Ranma muttered something low under his breath about how unfunny this whole situation was. His mother was only messing with him, but it didn't bring him comfort at all. His pride was hurt. _Badly_. And he was pretty sure she didn't realize that, seeing as how she was still laughing her head off. There was only one way he'll be able to mend his bruised ego and show his mother and everyone else how manly he could be. No one would ever be able to question his manliness again!

"Okay... I'll take your challenge," Ranma managed to speak out with a forced smirked.

Nodoka immediately stopped laughing and looked up at her son in wonder, pretending she didn't know what he was talking about. "What challenge?"

One of Ranma's eyebrows rose in question. Did his mom already forget about the date? Nah, she was probably messing with his mind again, and he was getting tired of it.

"I meant I'd go on that stupid date with that weirdo Kodachi!" he quickly shouted while he threw his hands up in exasperation. Before he heard anymore mentions about his manhood from his mother, he stormed out the room in record speed, slamming the door behind him.

A triumphant grin spread across Nodoka's perfect face as she watched her poor son run out the room. Her and her husband's plan had worked, and her dear son, Ranma, fell for it. _Heh, I should have been an actress_, she thought to herself.

"So, it worked out smoothly, Nodoka?" a deep voice asked behind her.

Nodoka turned around and faced her husband, Genma, who quietly came out the closet he had been hiding in all this time. She winked and gave a thumbs-up. "Of course he did! But..." Nodoka frowned as she continued, "Our son is so gullible sometimes, and I feel bad for putting him through that. You don't think he's mad at me, do you?"

"Ah, don't worry about it, Nodoka. He'll get over it, and at least he agreed to our deal and he's not gay! I was starting to get worried there when he didn't say anything," Genma cried out with relief. "Also, we have to remember that this is for the sake of our family's company and wealth. If our son doesn't marry a woman by the time his twenty-third birthday roles around, then we will lose everything."

Nodoka nodded in agreement. "His birthday is only five months away... Do you think it was a good idea not to tell him the real reason for setting him up on dates?" she asked with worry. She didn't want her son to find out or she was sure he'd panic and rush into a marriage he will regret for the rest of his life and be mad at her and his father, but she also wanted him to find a good wife in time.

"Well, you know how Ranma is. He won't be angry with us because he has no reason to be," Genma grinned with confidence. "He needs to understand how business works and learn from experience. Besides, he's bound to find out anyway, but by then, I'm sure he'll have a woman."

"I hope you're right, Genma," Nodoka uneasily said as she once again glanced at the door Ranma had slammed shut behind him.

To be continued...

A/N: Poor Ranma doesn't realize they're using him. :( gasp Will he be able to find a wife before his 23rd birthday?! If he doesn't, he'll be the sexy poor boy instead of the sexy rich boy. lol Well, we have other fics to worry about continuing, so if you want more chapters for this story, please leave a review. :)


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